Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport. Polo was already centuries old when Alexander the Great’s men played it! FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE
DAY THREE, FIRST MATCH: PARK PLACE VS OLD HICKORY BOURBON. Park Place – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Cossacks – took on Old Hickory Bourbon – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Distillers.
The First Chukker saw the Cossacks and the Distillers go blow for blow and Goal for Goal, ultimately ending in a 2-2 tie. In the Second Chukker the teams continued to put the ball between the Uprights with giddy abandon, resulting in a 5-4 edge for Park Place.
A defensive epic was in store for Chukker Number Three. The only Goal scored in the entire Chukker came from Old Hickory Bourbon. Headed into Halftime things were knotted up at 5 Goals apiece. Continue reading
DAY TWO, FIRST MATCH: TONKAWA FARMS VS POSTAGE STAMP FARM. Tonkawa Farms – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Cavalry – took on Postage Stamp Farm – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Carolinians. 
The Cavalry doubled-up on the Carolinians 2 Goals to 1 in the First Chukker, then manhandled them for 4 unanswered Goals in the Second Chukker to grab a 5-1 lead. 
OPENING MATCH: COCA COLA VS LA INDIANA – The opening Match of the 2019 U.S. Open pitted Coca Cola – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Red Colossus – against La Indiana – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Indians. 
In the Third Chukker Coca Cola began to counter the Indians’ offensive strategy and also got their own offense rolling, thwacking in 3 Goals to the 1 mustered by La Indiana. The score going into Halftime was Indians 6 Red Colossus 5. 
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) 1. UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & ARTS OF OKLAHOMA DROVERS ### 2. MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS ### 3. OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY STARS ### 4. LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS ### 5. SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS (Should be the Sea Gulls) ### 
6. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT BEAUFORT SAND SHARKS ### 7. HOPE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ROYALS ### 8. COLLEGE OF IDAHO COYOTES ### 9. UNIVERSITY OF MOBILE RAMS ### 10. UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AT VICTORIA JAGUARS ### 
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) – 1. SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY FIRE ### 2. OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY STARS ### 3. TENNESSEE WESLEYAN COLLEGE BULLDOGS ### 4. FAULKNER UNIVERSITY EAGLES (Should be the Furies) ### 5. UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS ### 
6. GEORGIA GWINNETT COLLEGE GRIZZLIES ### 7. LSU-SHREVEPORT PILOTS (Riverboat Pilots) ### 8. UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & ARTS OF OKLAHOMA DROVERS ### 9. CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY PHOENIX ### 10. SAINT THOMAS UNIVERSITY (FL) BOBCATS ### 
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION ONE 
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION ONE
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION TWO
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) DIVISION ONE 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – In just their very first year of play in the ACHA (American Collegiate Hockey Association) Canada’s SAULT COLLEGE COUGARS made it to the title game. Their opponents were the GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS. 
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS squared off against the UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN WOLVERINES. The Wolverines got off to a 2-0 advantage in the 1st Period before the Lakers got on the scoreboard to make it a 2-1 game by Period’s end. In the 2nd Period Grand Valley State knotted things up at 2 Goals apiece, then polished off Michigan 4-2 in the 3rd. Lakers Goalie Andrew Rozenbaum stopped 47 of 49 Shots on Goal. 
DAY THREE, GAME ONE – The OAKLAND (MI) UNIVERSITY GOLDEN GRIZZLIES skated against the UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA SPARTANS. In the 1st Period the Spartans got off to a 1-0 lead only to see the Golden Grizzlies go on top 3-1. The 2nd Period brought 2 University of Tampa Goals interrupted by another Goal for Oakland U. New score: 4-3, Golden Grizzlies. In the 3rd Period Oakland University dominated for a 7-4 victory. Austin McArdle was the winning Goalie with 36 stops on 40 Shots on Goal. 
DAY THREE, GAME TWO – In this game the FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY STAGS clashed with the KANSAS UNIVERSITY JAYHAWKS. Neither team scored in the opening Period, and the 2nd Period ended with the Jayhawks up on Fairfield 2-0. Three Goals from the Stags in the 3rd Period gave them a 3-2 comeback win. Fairfield University Goalie Nick Lanni stopped 42 of 44 Shots on Goal. 
DAY THREE, GAME THREE – Up next the FARMINGDALE STATE RAMS took on the AIR FORCE ACADEMY FALCONS. The Rams held a 1-0 lead to end the 1st Period but the Falcons tied things up at 1-1 in the 2nd. The Air Force Academy went on top 2-1 in the 3rd Period before Farmingdale State whacked in 3 Goals for a 4-2 triumph. The winning Goalie was Stephen Montgomery of the Rams with 35 stops on 37 Shots on Goal. 
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